


Hero of the Four Nations

by Avatarconner (Huntsman_Jedi)



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Crossover, Eventual Romance, F/M, something I had to do because no one else would
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-26 03:47:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15655128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huntsman_Jedi/pseuds/Avatarconner
Summary: He was the only one of Tenzin's children who couldn't Airbend. For most of his life he felt like he was just useless.....until one day when he meets a certain Symbol of Peace in the form of a Spirit. Now he must learn how to use One for All, before the Equalist Revolution comes knocking on his family's door.





	Hero of the Four Nations

**Origin!!**

**AN: First time doing a My Hero Academia fanfic so….yay??? Don’t get me wrong, I love the series and I ask myself everyday ‘Why the hell did you not watch this sooner you dumbass???’. Now usually anime crossovers can easily turn into a jumbled mess if they aren’t done right. But this is usually because Anime have a ton of lore and details that you need to keep track of (looking at you Naruto!!!!).**

**However other anime have less…volume to them detail wise. My Hero Academia is one of them. And when I say less I don’t mean it’s not the best, it is my favorite anime in years and I seriously can’t wait to see more. Now here’s the rub, I currently have watched up to My Hero Academia Season 3, Episode 51 in the SUB.**

**Now I’m well aware that the manga is far past this point but is nowhere near it’s end by the look of it. So my obviously I’ll be taking liberties into this as well as not featuring it heavily in MHA’s world because there’s no way I can tell where the chips will fall.**

**I’ll also make this a limited series, meaning for now I just have book 1 in mind while writing (personally I think it’s one of the best seasons in all of Avatar, along with the comics about the universe.) so aside from that no plans. Now this and Toxic are both a limited series, what does that mean exactly? Well I’ll work on these when I feel like it as opposed to how I write most of my fics with a large fleshed out story in mind.**

**In fact this originally had a totally different premise but I found it too reliant on my own assumptions instead of an inevitability. (Spoliers for season 3 ahead) As you know, All Might has lost One for All after his last battle, and I honestly imagine that sometime down the line…..well the less said about that the better, but until his number is up he’s in the show.**

**And the spirits…..well Earth’s Symbol of Peace isn’t exactly done yet.**

* * *

 

Air Temple Island was situated in the port of Republic City, the former Fire Nation Colonies and currently one of the most advanced cities in the world. However while the city was the epitome of modern structure, Air Temple Island however was completely traditional, like it had been lifted from one of the four other temples back over two hundred years ago. And making his way through the temple grounds was a teenager with messy brown hair, pale-ish skin, grey eyes, a round chin with soft features wearing a dark orange jacket with the front buttons done up to his chest with a yellow shirt beneath the jacket along with a black pair of pants.

He was Shen, oldest of master airbender Tenzin’s children by sixteen years with his younger sister Jinora being six years younger than him. And ironically enough he was the only of Tenzin’s children who wasn’t an airbender.

His uncle Bumi always told him that Spirits had a sick sense of humor.

Shen walked down the path to his favorite gazebo, while he wasn’t an Airbender like his siblings but he was taught in the ways by his father Tenzin. And the one thing he could do along with his siblings was meditation, and lately he’s had the urge to put more time into it than usual when he did it with his father and them. Arriving at the small building, he walked into the wooden floor and took off his jacket, the short sleeved shirt showed off what little muscles he had from tending to errands around the island while his brother and sisters went to his father for practical training.

That and a vegetarian diet really helped him stay in shape. He thanked his mother for that.

Getting into the standard meditation position, legs crossed with his hands in his lap having one inside the other, he shut his eyes and focused on his breathing. Lately he’d been having this odd sensation when meditating, which was strange since the act itself was about calming one’s self and reflecting on themselves as well. However as strange as it sounded, it almost felt as though he was reaching out, or he was being reached out to by someone or something.

A part of him hoped it was some sort of spirit but with his luck? He expected it to be something that would possess him, _Don’t take over my mind and body, don’t take over my mind and body, please don’t._ he thought to himself before taking a deep breath and calming himself down. He sat there for a minute, and then another, followed by another five minutes, then another two before he finally began to sense something calling out to him.

It began to grow closer and closer with each passing second, however as it neared the teen’s mind began to recoil as the presence began to near. He admitted that a part of him was nervous about the possibilities of what this could be, however he was determined to find out what this was after weeks of this happening during his meditation. The one thing that connected him to his family, and he would not be driven away from it.

The presence grew closer and Shen swore that within the darkness that was before him he saw a small flicker of light getting ever so closer to him. He felt as though he was standing, the flame grew closer and closer to him, the small dim light in the distance had slowly began to grow brighter until it stopped. His breathing deepened before he took a step forward through the darkness, slowly starting on his way towards the fire.

As he closed in on the source of light he suddenly began to feel the cold, his jacket was now on him again and it seemed to offer no protection from the chill. Son his slow walk became a brisk stride towards the light, light meant some form of heat so he continued on with purpose, get warm.

Soon he saw it, the light was from a fire, a small one at that but still one all the same. However he also noticed a shape holding onto the fire, a torch, lying on the ground. “Hey you! Are you alright?!” Shen called out as he broke into a sprint, slowing down as he approached the man he got a better look at him. The man was bare, with no cloths whatsoever covering him, but what shocked him was how lanky the man was, if not for the skin and plume of yellow hair he’d swear it was nothing but bones. “Oh my gosh!” the teen exclaimed before slipping off his coat and draping it over the man.

The movement of him tucking his legs closer to his chest was a relief to the teen, lifting the man from the ground into a sitting position, he tried to get the coat around him better, “Thank you….young man.” he said gratefully before looking up at the teen. His eyes were deeply sunken in to his skull, the small blue orbs looked up at him with gratitude. Yet he still held the torch tightly within his hand, the flames were low and dying but they still carried warmth to them.

“Of course.” Shen replied, sitting across from the man in the darkness. “Is there any other way I can help you? If I can, I….don’t exactly know where….I…am…” he trailed off as he looked around and saw no other signs of life. there was nothing but pitch darkness stretching out into the void.

The man chuckled fondly, “No it’s fine…..I’ve actually been looking for you young man.” he said, the teen’s head snapped back to him with surprise. The man looked down at the torch, two long bangs on either side of his head drooping down past his shoulders as he did, “I’ve been wandering for so long….looking for someone to pass my torch onto.” he explained, “Truth is at one point I passed it on to another, he was a around your age actually when I met him….he turned out to be the perfect candidate for this.” he continued with a proud smile.

Shen listened intently to the man, “My successor, he took on this torch, the power it had…called One For All.” he informed, lifting the torch up slightly, Shen’s eyes locked with the source of the flame, the warmth coming off it touched deep within him. The fire had a mesmerizing beat with it’s flames, as though it were alive, “It grants it’s bearer incredible power, strength beyond measure and it grows with each pass onto the next.” he continued, awing the teen with the information.

He suddenly felt intimidated by the torch and scooted back a little bit, “Sorry just…don’t want to get burned by the all-powerful fire you got there.” he excused, causing the man to let out a hearty chuckle before coughing up a copious amount of blood.

The sound Shen made, between a squeak and a inhale of breath, caused the man to wave him off, “Ah don’t worry, that’s not the power, that’s just me. I’m fine.” he assured before clearing his throat, “Anyway, I tell you this because….when I passed on from my pervious life, I found this torch, bearing the familiar power. And so I wandered, searching for someone to wield it.” he said. Shen pointed at himself, “No actually that guy over there.” the man said, pointing past Shen. The teen turned his head over his shoulder and saw no one, “HA! Yes! You!” the man howled with laughter which the teen couldn’t help but join in on.

When their laughter died down it left Shen with one simple question, “Why me? I’m not special…..I’m not even an airbender in a family full of them.” he admitted, a hint of resentment in his voice.

The man was taken aback by this for a moment before smiling, “That figures.” he mused, making the teen look at him with contempt, the man quickly shook his hand, “No what I mean is…my last pupil wasn’t special either, in fact that was what everyone told him every day of his life. But he was determined to prove them wrong, because he wanted to be special….he wanted to be a hero.” he explained.

Shen bowed his head slightly, the previous user of this power seemed like a honorable young man. “However, you’re not him.” the man said, making him look up. “If you so choose to wield this power, all I can ask is that you use it for the good of the world. As a symbol of peace and justice would, as my pupil did, as I and my master before me did.” he requested, taking the teen aback.

Shen was silent for a moment. “That’s a lot to ask of a guy you jest met!!!” the teen exclaimed honestly.

The man deadpanned, Shen wasn’t exactly wrong, “True…..but you came to my aid without question.” he said, the non-bender’s eyes slightly widened at his observation, “I sought you out at first because you were the only one capable of reaching out to me…..but now I believe it’s because you have what it takes to use One For All as we would have.” he said, the flame growing in size slightly. The light from the torch cast shadows from behind the both of them only Shen noticed that from the man’s shadow, nine others were there as well.

He was suddenly reminded of Korra, the Avatar who was for all purposes locked up in the South Pole being trained to use three of the four elements. He had met her dozens of times when his father took his family down to visit her, they still wrote letters to one another to this day to keep in touch with one another. Korra’s job was to keep the world at peace….but it wasn’t, and it had to do with his own father ad the White Lotus keeping her down at the South Pole against her will.

_She may not to be able to do anything right now but….._

“…….ok.” he agreed, getting the man’s interest, “There’s someone I know who actually has to do something similar. Keep the peace of the world. But she can’t do that right now……so if she can’t then I will.” he reasoned.

The blonde man’s interest was peaked by this answer, “Really? And what about when she can do that? What about when she can take her place as peacekeeper of the world? What will you do?” he questioned, his tone more serious than before.

Shen however smiled, “I’ll help her of course. I don’t care if me or her get the recognition, I just want to help people like she would.” he answered honestly.

This answer caused a smile to spread across the skinny man’s features, it was exactly the answer he was looking for, as he looked at the teen in front of him he was reminded of his former apprentice. However while at first Izuku was more nervous and impressionable, Shen seemed more confident with himself and his beliefs. _Young Midoriya, he shall be very different than you._

The man formerly known as All Might, the Symbol of Peace and Justice held the torch out, “Your conviction is admirable but be warned. The power of One for All is not to be taken lightly.” he warned before grinning, “My former apprentice broke both his legs and arm the first time he successfully used it.” he said with a hint of pride in his voice.

Shen of course looked horrified, “I’m going to break my body doing this!?!?”

All Might shook his head, “No! Well….if you’re not careful.” he replied, “One for All increases with power for every user it is passed down to. It grows with them, becomes even more powerful, and when they are ready the process is repeated.” he explained. Shen nodded in understanding, “At first, you’ll only be able to use either 0% of the power, or 100%.”

“Like a light switch?” Shen asked.

All Might chuckled as he thought to Deku’s explanation, “Yes. But every time you use 100% of the power and do something like jump the blub will break. You need to work you’re way to 100%, start out small.” he clarified before looking the teen over. Shen was not in the same shape Izuku was when he began training him, Shen was more fit than him but also older so he needed to adjust his body to be able to hold One For All just the same. “But before we do any of that. We need to get you in shape.”

And thus, Shen began a full year of HELL.

* * *

 

The fallowing year was a large adjustment for Shen.

After his spiritual conversation with All Might he reached out to him the next day and got a workout plan in order which was required if he would be fit to handle One For All. Which included but not limited to five mile runs, pushups, pullups, crunches, minor weightlifting, swimming, and heavy lifting on a near daily basis along with a change in diet to include meat for extra protein. Of course this drastic change in behavior was noticed by his family, his siblings were actually ecstatic at his training and would sometimes watch him, even sitting on his back while he did pushups or dragged something heavy for both an extra workout and their older brother’s amusement.

His parents however were curious to his change and he simply responded, “If my little brother and sisters are training then why shouldn’t I?”. It was a ‘go with the flow’ response that Tenzin accepted without much question to it.

And one year later on the date he first reached out to All Might, he entered his meditation and found the former hero awaiting him. Taking the torch from All Might he…..did not feel any different. That was about a good three hours ago and Shen was starting to worry that perhaps he hadn’t done it right. _But how the hell could I mess this up I just took the torch from him, all he said was to reach deep into myself and size my body up and I’ll feel it. But I’ve been clenching on and off for three hours now!!_ He thought with irritation as he tossed around in his bed before sitting upright.

Flinging the covers off himself he snuck over to the window and slid it open before climbing out, if One for All was as powerful as All Might insisted the absolute last place he wanted to test it was in his house with literal paper thin walls.

Walking across the grass though the forest, he made his way to the northern edge of the island and down onto the beach. Unlike his siblings, Tenzin trusted Shen to be left by himself to the point he and Pema were fine with him going into the city all day just as long as he got home decent.

Sitting down on the sand he stretched one leg out while cocking the other upward as he looked down at his hand in his lap. He and All Might spent hours upon hours talking, him about his world and what it was like with different nations and their benders along with the history of each of them. While All Might regaled him in kind, tales of his heroics, his time learning to become a hero, finding his first pupil, even how he named his powerful attacks after states in a county because he thought they sounded cool.

Shen looked out to the ocean, the moon reflected in the clam waves that washed ashore before retreating back to the sea. _I can’t just go to All Might, what am I going to say? ‘Hey All Might, you know that power of One For All that you gave me? Well I can’t turn it on.’ that’ll fill him with confidence._ He thought sarcastically to himself as he ran his hand through his hair. Looking down at the hand in his lap he lifted it up, _Ok one more time……reach deep down…..and….._

He could feel his arm tense up as red vein-like energy traveled up his arm, making his eyes widen. He could feel the power he wielded in his hand, “Yes!!!” he cheered as he fist pumped his other hand. _Ok I know All Might said to be careful…….but what if I just use one finger and dip it in the water?_ he wondered to himself. It wasn’t like his limbs would explode off his body, that’s what his training was for.

Standing up the teen made his way to the shoreline and waddled into the water a little bit, the cold liquid sending a chill up his spine. Leaning over the water he hovered his hand over it and reeled his index finger back, “Mini Smash.” he whispered jokingly before dipping the finger into the water.

The force made sent Shen flying back onto the shoreline, sliding across the sand a good ten feet before he slowed to a stop. Shen took a minute to sit up straight, his hand flaring up with pain when he planted it into the ground to help him sit up straight. Looking at the spot in the water he was previously standing in,

* * *

 

Shen had fabricated a story to his mom and dad about his injured finger which warranted a trip to the island’s healer the next day. Since then, Shen had been EXTRA careful with his practice of One For All. In the five months since he got it he theorized that it worked like a light bulb, too much power and the bulb would burst and result with him having broken limbs, he needed to figure out a way to get used to it without breaking himself every time he used it.

So until then, no incredibly powerful super power use except for activating and deactivating it. What that surmounted to was…..well it was basically turning a light switch on and off for three hours a day. That along with his daily training regiment had left him drained at the end of each and every day, however it did yield some fruit after speaking to All Might’s spirit three months after being passed down One for All.

“I can’t believe it! You can take one percent already!! That’s great!!!” the blonde spirit said within Shen’s meditative mindscape. He had awoken early this morning before his family’s trip to the South Pole, he knew he wouldn’t be able to get any training done today without his family catching onto him. So with no physical activity to do, he thought that he should try finding another way to prepare his body for All for One.

After showing All Might how he could crank the power between 1% and 100%, he wasn’t expecting the spirit to be so impressed. He would have been flustered….that was if he felt it was worth such celebration. “All Might it’s only 1%, at the rate I’m going it might take years until I can handle more than that.” he stated somewhat obviously.

The skinny man didn’t falter with his beaming smile, “How long did you think it took me to master One for All’s power?” he asked, causing the teen to smile back. “And what’s better is you haven’t injured yourself as much as me or my former pupil did. Why he broke both his arms so badly he could have lost the use of them if he hadn’t been careful!” he exclaimed with pride, this seemed to have the opposite effect on Shen as he paled with that information. Upon seeing the look of fear his student had, All Might quickly corrected himself, “He’s ok! He just didn’t use them until he was better at controlling it.”

The teen was relived by that information, he was a little scared by just how powerful One for All was. “Well….I’m not only here to give you a progress report.” he began, “See, my family and I are going on a trip to the Southern Watertribe to visit…..” he hesitated, “…a friend.” he finished.

“It’s a girl isn’t it?” All Might asked bluntly, Shen’s face heated up and the boney man let out a hearty laugh until he coughed up a small amount of blood. “CUMPH, CUMPH, Sorry. Sorry.” he apologized politely, “But I don’t think you’re here to ask me advice when it comes to girls.” he said, the teen’s cheeks only remaining a little flushed.

“My family will be there the entire time, I won’t be able to train with One for All until I return…….is there some way I could….I don’t know, ready myself more?” he asked curiously. The physical portion of his training wasn’t a problem, he could do his exercises down in the South Pole just as he did them on the island but he couldn’t just turn on One for All in the middle of a White Lotus compound of all places.

All Might pondered the situation for a minute, cupping his chin in his hand as he thought of what he and Midoriya both did. “There is one thing you could do now which will help you in your quest.” he realized, lifting his head up from his hand, “Shen, do you now how to fight?” he asked.

The teen looked blankly at him, “I live on a island where my father teaches me and my siblings to be vegetarians, nomads, and peaceful people. I never even hit someone before.” he replied bluntly, causing the former symbol of peace to give him a deadpanned expression.

“Well as honorable as that lifestyle is, I’m afraid that might not be in your future anymore.” he replied solemnly. “If you are to wield One for All, you cannot rely on it’s raw power alone. You must develop the skills to use it as well.” Shen paused before nodding in understanding, All Might leaned forward, his blue eyes locked with Shen’s, “You must develop your own way of fighting, but don’t be afraid to ask for guidance. Understood?” he asked.

The teen nodded, “I do…..thanks All Might.” he said gratefully, the blonde man nodding as he and the world around them began to fade. When Shen opened his eyes he was sitting on the floor of his room, he stood up from the ground just as alight rapping was heard on the frame of his door.

“Shen? It’s time to go, are you ready?” Pema’s voice asked from the other side of the paper door. The teen smiled as he reached over to the bed where his packed bag was at, walking to the door he opened it to find his pregnant mother awaiting him. She smiled when she found that he was already prepared for the trip, “Well I’m glad at least half my children are ready for their trip.” she said jokingly as her eldest son closed the door to his room.

“Meelo and Ikki?” he guessed as he and his mother made their way through their home to meet up with Tenzin in the Air Bison caves. Making their way to the Southern section of the island, the pair descended into a roomy cavern where the Temple’s sky Bison were kept…..all two of them.

Oogi belonged to Tenzin, who he’s had since he was around Jinora’s age. He was who they usually used to go on trips. However as Pema walked towards the mouth of the cave where Oogi and her husband were, Shen jogged to the right wall where the their second sky bison was currently chewing on a bale of hay, “Sumo, good to see you buddy.” the teen greeted as he approached the younger Sky Bison.

The large mammal turned it’s head and swallowed it’s food before stepping forward and pressing his wet nose against Shen’s smiling face, “Hey bud, good to see you too.” he glanced over at his Parents as Tenzin embraced his mother. Seeing that they were distracted, Shen reached into his blue winter coat’s pocket and retrieved an apple which he gave to the sky bison as a treat, “Don’t tell dad ok?” he asked before Meelo and Ikki blew behind him to Oogi.

Taking that as he cue to join his family, he rushed over when he saw his mother climbing Oogi’s tail, “Pema please, let me just airbend you up onto the saddle. It’s much safer.” Tenzin offered as his oldest son approached him. Looking over to his son, he watched as Shen simply climbed up the side of Oogi and then walked over to help his mother into the saddle. Pema looked at her husband with a smug look, who simply smirked before using Airbending to launch himself up onto Oogi’s head, “See? Easy.”

Shen had to keep himself frim snickering from the look his mother gave his father, so instead he looked over at his siblings as Jinora took a seat beside him with a few books by her side, “Hey sis. Got any good ones?” he asked.

The eldest sister of the airbender children looked up from her book and showd him the cover and title, “It’s a fantasy so you probably wouldn’t like it. I know you’re a stickler for romance.” she teased, causing the older brother’s cheeks to brighten slightly as he gave his sister a playful shove as his second and youngest sister jumped down into his shoulders.

“AreyouexcitedtoseeKora?Iam,Ireallymissedherbutnotasmuchasyoudidobviosuly.ImeanIknowyoutwowriteletters,bythewayyoudidtellherIsaidhilasttimeright?” Ikki asked rapidly,their dad had told them all about their grandfather, Avatar Aang, and how excitable he could be at times. Their mother convinced Shen that Aang’s excitement skipped Tenzin and went straight to Ikki, and then last but certainly not least was the youngest of the children, Meelo.

Meelo was the goofiest out of all of them, or mischievous if you asked their parents. He had shaved his head like his father, and had attempted to make every day an adventure for himself….despite what that entailed for his family.

“Oogi. Yip, yip.” Tenzin said with a flick of the reigns wrapped around the sky bison’s horns.  With a beat of his large flat tail the sky bison took to the air outside the cave.

* * *

 

Shen spent the trip to the South Pole with a great deal on his mind, what All Might had told him about a fighting style had stuck itself in his brain the entire trip. It wasn’t that he never considered that he might need to fight someone, but he didn’t know how to fight was the problem. Of course he knew the basics, hit someone until they fall down, try not to get hit yourself, but he never had gotten into a fight in his entire life. If he had to guess as to why it most definitely has to be the fact that he lived on Air Temple Island of all places for his entire life where no one had a reason to fight him.

And he couldn’t just get someone to teach him, his father would have an aneurism if he did that.

So he spent the trip dwelling on the problem while trying to come up with a solution, but by the time Oogi was flying over the Southern Watertribe he hadn’t come up with a solution. “Arewethereyet?Arewethereyet?Arewethereyet?Arewethereyet?” Ikki repeated like a mantra as they passed over the tribe and was coming down towards the White Lotus compound. Despite being called that it was structured more like an entire base, complete with a number of obstacles and training equipment which was enough for a entire battalion of the United Forces.

Meelo had made his way up to their father and was, for lack of any better word Shen could come up with, teething on Tenzin’s head as they landed in outside the main house of the compound. “Yes Ikki, as Shen has been telling you for the past fifteen minutes, we are….finally, here.” the father said with relief as he finally was able to quiet his youngest daughter. The three airbenders bolted off Oogi on balls of air, balancing atop them by a foot as they rode them down Oogi’s tail while Shen helped his mother up, _Yeah no one stay and help mom, that’s be too much to ask._ he thought sarcastically as his father and siblings went to greet Gran Gran.

Shen loved visiting his grandmother, he could remember that when he was just a little kid she would look after and play with him for hours. Unfortunately she moved down to the South Pole when they discovered Korra to train her in waterbending, but they always made sure to see her a few times a year. As Pema slid down the tail of the sky bison, Shen dropped from the side of Oogi into the snow as Tenzin walked over and fretted over Pema. “Now look at you.” Shen turned around to see his Gran Gran approaching him with a smile as she looked him over. “You’ve gotten so big.” she said with pride, noticing how strong her oldest grandchild had gotten.

The teen beamed at his grandmother as she embraced him, “It’s good to see you Gran Gran.” he greeted warmly, looking over her shoulder and seeing Meelo collect snow around him and encasing himself in it, making himself into a snowman. Then he saw someone else approach from around the corner of the main building, wearing a dark blue watertribe parka with her brown hair tied up in wolf tails, her light blue eyes looking stunning against her mocha tanned skin.

Shen felt his throat suddenly dry up, he had met Korra when they both were little kids and she had rescued her animal companion Naga from a snowstorm…..at the age of four. Needless to say he thought she was the most incredible person in the world after that, when they were in their early teens Korra’s training had began to bear fruit which resulted in her being much stronger than he was physically. She proved this by constantly challenging him to wrestle every time he visited…..he never won a single one.

That however stopped when they both turned fifteen and it was clear that they were becoming a young man and woman…..not that Shen was against wrestling her at that point but he never said that out loud.

And Now at the age of seventeen, Korra was…….to him she was breathtaking, even with the parka covering herself and the baggy pants she ad covering her figure. It didn’t matter to him , however he quickly realized that he was staring at her with a goofy look as she approached him with wide eyes. _Oh I make error._ he thought as his brain suddenly rebooted.

She looked at him from head to toe before speaking, “Shen???” she asked, her voice a mixture of elation and confusion as she raised her hands up quickly embraced him. He froze, the feeling of two somethings pressing against his chest making him clam up for a second before returning the embrace with a smile. When Korra pulled away she was still somewhat taken aback, “Oh my gosh look at you! You grew and….did I feel…” the non bender paled before she reached out and touched his bicep. “When did you get muscles!? I know you wrote saying you were trying some new things but…wow.” she said, clearly impressed by how he had changed since she last saw him.

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly from the sudden attention he received from her, “Thanks Korra, that means a lot coming from you.” he said, causing the Avatar’s cheeks to lightly warm with a small smile gracing her lips. _Wait….maybe Korra could help! She’s been training for years now, maybe she could teach me how to fight?_ he thought to himself as Korra went over to greet Tenzin.

However he could only watch as Korra was sorely disappointed to discover that she wouldn’t be joining them on their trip back to Republic City. Shen’s heart clenched when he saw the utter look of disappointment on Korra’s face, he wanted to do something, anything really, that could give her at least a little bit of comfort. However his mother’s guiding hand on his back towards the main house.

An hour later, Shen, Meelo, Ikki, Jinora, and Pema where all sitting on their knees at a small table while Tenzin and other members of the White Lotus were explaining he situation to Korra. Shen only stared at the bowel of rice in front of him, picking up some pieces with his chopsticks before watching them fall back into their bowl, “Honey don’t play with your food.” Pema said as she took a bite of her own bowl.

Her oldest son finally took a bite, Pema noticed the saddened look on his face he had since dinner started. Reaching a hand over she placed it on his shoulder, “Sweetie I know you were looking forward to Korra coming but-“

“’I’s too dangerous in the city’. I know, I know.” he replied, repeating exactly what his father had told him on the trip down. “But it’s not fair mom, Korra’s been locked here for over a decade and she can’t come back with us because the city isn’t safe? You guys let me make my own decisions, why is it different with Korra?” he asked, the mother looking at him as he already knew the answer. Because she was the Avatar, he just didn’t see her as it, he just saw her as….well, Korra.

“Your just sad because you wont be able to tell Korra you looove her. Smochie smouch smouchie!” Ikki taunted, puckering her lips and giving the best impression of a kiss. Shen glared at his younger sister, her and Jinora had been imagining what his and Korra’s wedding would be like since they understood relationships.

Usually he would tease her about not making the right kissing noises, but the events of the day left a sour taste in his mouth. Pushing his unfinished bowl forward he stood up, “I’m going for a walk.”

Pema frowned as he stood, “Shen-“ she started just as he exited the door to the dining room. Walking through the house, he looked at the blue door where the main hall was. It was where Korra, his father, and other members of the White Lotus had gathered to explain why Tenzin wasn’t taking her back with them.

For a brief moment he considered eavesdropping on the conversation, however that was quickly put to rest as Korra herself emerged from the room with a unsatisfied look on her face. When she saw Shen, he could only give her a sad smile, “Let me guess, ‘Republic City is too dangerous and blah, blah, blah, blah.’ am I close?” he asked, causing the Avatar to stifle a giggle at his imitation of Tenzin.

“Yeah….pretty much.” she said with amusement, noticing that he was near the door she walked over to the rack beside and reached for her coat. The teen couldn’t stop but notice how her biceps just flexed from the simple movement, “You want to take a walk?” she asked, offering his coat to him which he gladly accepted before opening the door for her. Fallowing the Avatar along the wall of the compound they caught up on each other’s lives, Korra passing her firebending test was a bug highlight for her since it meant she had mastered three of the elements that she had been able to bend since she was a four year old.

Shen’s was far less exciting, the largest development was that his mom was pregnant again, “Meelo is hoping it’s a boy, he wants to have a younger brother to break the tie.” he said amusingly, remembering how when Pema told all of them how his brother walked up to their mom’s stomach and asked it to be a boy. Korra chuckled, “There are days I wonder what it would be like to not have siblings……probably boring.”

The Avatar nodded with a small smirk, “Yeah I was a handful with my mom and dad. You know being the Avatar and all.” she boasted proudly.

“Strange, I’d think it’d be with you just being you.” Shen joked, getting a slug in the arm as a response which Korra was surprised by how firm the arm felt. She still had a hard time wrapping her mind around the fact that this was Shen, the lifelong friend she had, he was always much more smaller in stature out of the two of them. When she saw the blush on his cheeks she realized he had caught her starring at him, “Sorry it’s just…..you look so different now.”

The teen rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly, “Yeah it’s been a busy year…..I really wish you could come with us.” he said honestly. Korra let out a sigh and Shen immediately cursed himself for bringing it up, “Sorry! Sorry I just…..I was really looking forward to having my friend come home with me……” that hund in the air for a moment as they looked to each other and burst into a fit of giggles at how that came out, “Hehehehe, sorry.”

“Least you could do is make me some dinner first.” Korra chided as they neared the stables. She looked over at Shen with a smirk, “Come on, Naga missed you toooo~.” she said in a sing-song voice which caused the non bender to groan. Before he could protest Korra grabbed him by his hand and dragged him towards the stables, walking down the stairs to the pen he was greeted to the sight of a large canine with large bear paws in the front and dog legs for it’s hind set. “Naga, look whose here!” she said excitedly.

The Polar Bear Dog lifted it’s head, the instant she saw Shen she began panting excitedly before pouncing at him and pinning him to the ground with her front paws. “Gah! No! No kisses Naga-AHHHH!!” he cried out dramatically as the dog excitedly licked his face while Korra bellowed with laughter. Naga always loved seeing Shen, mainly on account of him sneaking her food and treats whenever he visited. He simply couldn’t resist the puppy dog eyes she gave him, “I don’t have anything! Get off you furball!” he cried out with laughter, pushing the massive canine off him.

Korra urged Naga off him, “Down girl. Sit.” she commanded, the hybrid doing as Korra said and curling up on the ground beside Shen. Picking himself up he sat against Naga with the avatar taking a seat beside him. “She missed you.” she joked as the teen wiped the dog slobber off his face. “I did too, in case you couldn’t tell.” she added with a smile.

Shen swore he felt his heart skip a beat when she said that, looking down at his feet stretched out in front of him he leaned back into Naga. “I missed you too…..not like I got anyone else around my age to talk to on the island.” he said sadly. He had been homeschooled by one of the Air Acolytes on Air Temple Island, he knew his dad, aunt, and uncle went to school in the city when they were his age but apparently it didn’t go so well for his dad beign one of the only airbenders or something.

Korra drew her knees in close to her chest, “Least you get to leave here.” she replied.

“And at least you’re a bender-“ the comment slipped out of his mouth before he could stop himself, he glanced over and saw Korra looking at him with a shocked expression. “I’m sorry, forget I said anything.” he quickly said, looking away from her and hoping she would simply brush it off as a bad joke or something. But the sincerity in his voice made it clear that he wasn’t, “Korra look I don’t want to dump my problems on you of all people.”

He felt her hand wrap around his, “Shen, if you can’t talk to me then who can you talk to?” she asked, he turned his head to see that she was smiling at him, showing that she was here to listen. He twisted his hand over so he cold grasp her hand as well, “I….I need to tell you something…..something I haven’t told anyone.” he said with conviction. If there was anyone on the entire planet he could talk to about what he’s been experiencing for the past year, it was Korra.

After taking a deep breath he told her everything. About meeting the spirit of All Might during meditating, the power of One for All, the result of using the power for the first time and the training he’s put himself through ever since. When he was finished….Korra was skeptical, “Ok maybe we should take you to see Katara.” scratch that she didn’t believe a word of it.

“Wait. I can prove it.” he said as he slid his coat off and rolled up the sleeve of his black turtleneck up to his elbow. Taking a deep breath he let it out as he pictured a large fire  before him, All Might had told him that a mental picture of what One for All was like was helpful when learning how to first use the power. Since he saw it as a torch in his vision he thought a fire seemed appropriate, he just had to try not to get burned.

Korra watched with a little corner, the story he told her was strange and fairly outlandish to say the least but…..in a small way it would make sense. Airbenders where the most attuned spiritually out of all the four nations, and while he wasn’t an airbender it might be possible that he was the most spiritually connected out of Tenzin’s children. As Korra thought this however, she suddenly saw a series of red veins of what looked like pure energy travel up his arm, her eyes widened as his skin began to glow in the dim light of the stable.

Shen opened his eyes and took another breath, taking Korra out of her trance and reigniting the part of her brain that let her speak, “But…I…are you….ok?” she asked, not sure where to even begin. Looking over he saw Korra leaning away from him like his arm was a bomb about to go off, not that it was far off in terms of comparisons, “Does….does it hurt?!” she asked, her voice cracking a little.

Shen had to hold his breath as not to laugh at her sudden tone change, “It doesn’t hurt but……I can feel the power….like it’s just beneath my skin ready to go off.” he described before deactivating One for All, the lines disappearing and his skin losing it’s slight glow. Korra shook her head as she reached out and took his arm with her hands and inspected it, “I basically hold that for a few hours a day so my body can get used to it, I switch it from one part of my body to the other like going room to room in a house.” he informed.

Korra was going over everything he told her, now with the fact that it was all TRUE. Seeing the far off look on the Avatar’s face he sat and waited for her to speak again, she took about three minutes before speaking, “You haven’t told anyone else?! Not even your mom and dad?” she  asked, Shen shook his head, “WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS!?” she asked loudly.

Shen swallowed a lump in his throat, “Well I…..I wanted to be like you.” he said, taking Korra aback. “Korra you tamed a Polar Bear Dog, something no one has ever done before, when you where four years old! And before that, you already taught yourself to bend three of the four elements. And meanwhile I was just….the lame non-bender friend in a family of Airbenders.” he trailed off. Korra watched his expression change from downcast to hopeful, “And now….I can actually do something….I can actually help you instead of just hear about all the great things you do.”

Korra was torn between heartfelt flattery and a small sense of guilt, “Shen you shouldn’t feel like-“

“But I do.” he interrupted, looking down at his arm. “And I will until I manage to use One for All without breaking myself in half.” he said, leaning back against Naga. The canine seemed to sense his current mood and laid her head on his shoulder and nuzzled him affectionately. He wrapped an arm around her head and rubbed the animal companion’s head, “Look, I understand if your upset but just don’t tell my mom or dad ok?”

He was surprised however when he felt Korra pull him into another embrace for the second time that day, “Shen your my best friend. What kind of best friend would I be if I didn’t help you?” she asked, pulling away with a smile witch he returned.

“Thanks Korra, you can’t imagine how much it mean to me.” he said happily, causing the Avatar’s cheeks to warm at how her opinion of him valued so much to him. “Um….one little thing though…..I don’t know how to fight.” he said plainly, making the Avatar let out a snort of amusement. “I was wondering if you could….teach me a few things?” he asked, slightly nervous for his request.

However the grin that spread across Korra’s face made him feel he would come to regret this.


End file.
